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Kau Point Battery

This fort was built in the 1890s in the second phase of fortification building late last century. It was armed with one of the recently purchased disappearing guns. An 8-inch piece. Associated magazine and control rooms were built underground to service the gun. It was in 1924 that the gun was removed and the gun pit converted to hold ammunition reserves for Wellington. When Japan entered the war, the old gun position became a magazine for the 3.7-inch heavy anti-aircraft guns positioned in the rear of Point Halswell. A second gun pit was also constructed in the 1890s further up from the 8-inch emplacement, to house a Quick Fire Hotchkiss or Nordenfelt gun. The pit is half round and there is a small concrete chamber, presumably the magazine, cut into the spur behind and entered through a door to the rear of the pit. It appears that the pit was used as the B.O.P, it is unknown if a gun was installed at all. The names of other posts are painted in a regular fashion, around the walls of the chamber at the rear of the pit, as if it was also a communications post. There is a concrete pillar in the front of the pit, which would have been used to support range finding equipment, or other instruments.

Entrance to the underground rooms

Picture from the end of the stairs, looking down the main corridor. The entrance on the left leads to the gunpit (now filled in).

Map of Underground Facilities

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